Letter to Fuji

jsrockit said:
Shutter lag and AF lag are totally different things IMO. There's negligible shutter lag in the X1, but a ton of AF lag.

By all means, the X100 should be faster than the X1.
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We still don't know much yet. However, 5F/s requires the combined shutter/AF lag be less than 0.2ms...allowing some time for the shutter to reopen.
 
p.s. please can we also have 90mm and 180mm versions of the soon to be released GF670W as that would replace your old pro cameras which were unexplainably removed from production but which command high prices on the S/H market due to current demand.
 
hexiplex said:
... What is wrong with snap focus and setting the aperture at f/5.6 or f/8? Snap focus works excellently on the GRD III, why not on the X100?
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I agree. In fact, I always had the "snap mode" on, on my GRDII. It was extremely rare when I ever used the autofocus on the camera. The snap mode just about eliminated all shutter lag and was one of the best features of the GRD's.
 
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Could do.

Could do.

videogamemaker said:
Seeing as it will most likely display on the back LCD the same info displayed in the EVF (a guess, but highly likely imo), couldn't you just turn brightness on the LCD way down so it isn't so bright, but still shows the zone area? If it's really important, you could tape over the entire LCD with gaffer tape, so that only the zone focus scale shows, and use only the EVF to chimp (sounds like they are making that possible).
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Clever solution, but hopefully not necessary. I do prefer to use my RD1 with the lcd turned into the camera!
 
This does work in many situations

This does work in many situations

fdigital said:
I don't mean to sound like a negative nancy, but there is a very easy method you can use to use zone focussing like a manual camera.

1. Set AF to back button (AF on - rear of camera)
2. Use button to focus on something irrelevant that is roughly the distance you want the lens to be at
3. Set aperture
4. Shoot.

I've done this with an E-p1 and it worked perfectly, I never felt the need to have anything more for hyperfocal shooting.
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This does work in many situations, and is a tried and true rangefinder pre-focus technique, as are setting zone focus and hyper-focal distance as appropriate. The difference being that both zone focus and hyper-focal distance setting don't require bringing the camera to the eye when shooting a rangefinder. I just like to bring the camera to my eye at the moment I'm going to shoot the first frame. I may keep it up for successive frames, but rarely.
 
On the GRDII, you set the camera in snap focus, it pre-sets the focus of the camera at 4ft. to infinity, thereby effectively cutting off the autofocus. It is a great tool for street shooting because it eliminates shutter lag due to the slow autofocus on these compact cameras. It was one of the main reasons I purchased the camera.

Now, on the newer GRDIII, I believe you have an option of three different distance scales to use in snap mode, which would really be useful for all types of street shooting or just random snapshot shooting.

I, too, have often wondered why other camera makers, especially with fixed focal length lenses on their cameras, have not employed this snap mode. I would love to see this feature on the new Fuji, as I have plans to buy one as soon as they are available.
 
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Frankie said:
AF works if the subject happens to be in the sweet spot. If not, then the MO would be AFL and recompose...while you are at it, AEL as well. AND, Fuji provides such a button at your right thumb...Fuji knows what they are doing.
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Another valid way of working. Whatever best suits the individual photographer's style. When I've borrowed a friend's Canon 5D, I've always been frustrated with AF, choosing AF point, AF and recomposing, and if I owned it I would change out the focus screen and manually focus most of the time.
 
Rick Waldroup said:
On the GRDII, you set the camera in snap focus, it pre-sets the focus of the camera at 4ft. to infinity, thereby effectively cutting off the autofocus. It is a great tool for street shooting because it eliminates shutter lag due to the slow autofocus on these compact cameras. It was one of the main reasons I purchased the camera.

Now, on the newer GRDIII, I believe you have an option of three different distance scales to use in snap mode, which would really be useful for all types of street shooting or just random snapshot shooting.

I, too, have often wondered why other camera makers, especially with fixed focal length lenses on their cameras, have not employed this snap mode. I would love to see a feature on the new Fuji, as I have plans to buy one as soon as they are available.
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Sounds like a great feature of the Ricohs. Snap focus is the hyper-focal distance at those apertures. Very usable with the small sensor cameras as f5.6 will still provide great DOF. Since the x100 has an aperture ring, it would make sense to tie a "snap focus" or "hyper-focal distance" mode to the aperture as it is changed. But the DOF will not be nearly as broad as with small sensor cameras at moderate to wide apertures. This is where zone focusing (or as appropriate, pre-focusing) would be preferred.
 
keats1964 said:
Sounds like a great feature of the Ricohs. Snap focus is the hyper-focal distance at those apertures. Very usable with the small sensor cameras as f5.6 will still provide great DOF. Since the x100 has an aperture ring, it would make sense to tie a "snap focus" or "hyper-focal distance" mode to the aperture as it is changed. But the DOF will not be nearly as broad as with small sensor cameras at moderate to wide apertures. This is where zone focusing (or as appropriate, pre-focusing) would be preferred.
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Yes, you are right about the sensor size on these small cameras. In the snap mode, when you set the camera at 5.6 or even 4, the depth of field is amazing, especially with the 28mm focal length.
 
mto'brien said:
is this true? a cropped sensor changes the distance to subject? i set hyperfocal as i would with a film camera on my m8 all the time and i have never had an issue. please correct me if i'm wrong.
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The focal length of the lens doesn't change on a "crop sensor" camera (it's a physical property of the lens), but the DOF does change for any particular aperture setting, the reason being that it's predicated on an enlargement factor; the smaller-sensor camera will have a bigger enlargement factor of the image to the final print size than a larger sensor camera.

Remember: anytime depth of focus is discussed, there's always an assumption about an enlargement factor and acceptable sharpness in the final print; the DOF scales on lenses are based on the manufacturer's assumptions about the image's enlargement factor in the final print. That's why they're just assumptions, and people shouldn't get so hung up on the subject.

Now I'll duck, hoping that the gynormous DOF thread doesn't get restarted. ;)

~Joe
 
> Now I'll duck, hoping that the gynormous DOF thread doesn't get restarted.


I'm thinking of a forum for DOF discussions that will have a special white on white color scheme, just for that forum. Members will be able to post to it and get as much useful information as they do now.
 
mto'brien said:
is this true? a cropped sensor changes the distance to subject? i set hyperfocal as i would with a film camera on my m8 all the time and i have never had an issue. please correct me if i'm wrong.
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It's true. There is roughly a one-stop difference with an M8 size sensor, and a two-stop difference with an R-D1 compared to full-frame. It may not make a difference for many styles of shooting, but for mine it can and I need to be aware of it.

It's most apparent when I'm compressing space closer to the camera.

I like to think of a picture challenge, and then work the situation and equipment to meet that challenge in a way that produces successful images to me.

Using 40mm and 28mm lenses to illustrate (as these become close in equivalent focal lengths, and are lenses I have and can confirm the markings on the lens barrels):

I'm in a crowd, I need to shoot at f8 to get the shutter speed I want. I want as much DOF as possible starting from about 5ft in front of me (wanting anyone closer then 5ft to be out of focus).

Full-frame: 40mm at f8
What I do is set the f8 zone focus mark that is on the shallow side of the lens barrel to match up with 5ft on the focus ring = zone of acceptable focus from 5ft-10ft per the bookends of f8 marks on the lens barrel.
- Per DOF Calculator (an Apple widget) Focus distance is 6.5ft = zone of acceptable focus from 5ft-9ft
- Barrel markings roughly confirm this zone

M8: 28mm at f8 (37.4mm eqv)
- Per DOF Calculator (an Apple widget) Focus distance of 8ft = zone of acceptable focus from 5ft-18ft
Barrel markings for f8 DO NOT confirm this zone. f5.6 markings are more accurate. One stop difference.

R-D1 (and x100): 28mm at f8 (42.7mm eqv)
- Per DOF Calculator (an Apple widget) Focus distance of 7ft = zone of acceptable focus from 5ft-12ft
Barrel markings for f8 DO NOT confirm this zone. f4 markings are more accurate. Two stop difference.
 
Okay - here I go, and I'm going to be accused of being Ashton Kutcher again, touting my Nikon. Okay - I'm bracing myself... but here goes.

If this is what you want, get a Nikon D5000 and forget the Fuji. Yeah, it's a DSLR, looks it. It's ugly, zero "coolness" factor. Get past it. Here's why. The 5000 is the only DSLR I know of that has an articulated screen. It also has a wicked fast 35/1.8 prime that's cheap. It's also pretty compact. So, you put it in A mode, fold out the articulated screen, focus in Live View "from the hip" - completely accurately at optimal focus distance (not losing a bit of sharpness because of "generic" focusing) and shoot. Only downside it it's not the greatest contrast autofocus system, but it's not that bad, you can manually assist focus in auto mode, and it's totally usable. No need to use obsolete techniques...

I bought this camera partly due to the functional concerns you mentioned which boil down to the ability to shoot from the hip with a fast 50mm prime, and thought this tool addressed them - but using modern methods/technology, which I think are better. You use the articulated screen to compose using contrast autofocus rather than zone focusing. Nikon has the "fast 50" base covered very well with a great inexpensive 35/1.8 (a 50mm in film equiv. due to crop factor) super fast, completely silent motorized AF lens.

And it works... just fine.
 
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keats1964 said:
R-D1 (and x100): 28mm at f8 (42.7mm eqv)
- Per DOF Calculator (an Apple widget) Focus distance of 7ft = zone of acceptable focus from 5ft-12ft
Barrel markings for f8 DO NOT confirm this zone. f4 markings are more accurate. Two stop difference.
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Completely agree, due to painful experience with a new Zeiss 28mm Biogon I took on holiday this summer without testing it first. Note to self, test gear before using while travelling, and especially, check images as you go along rather than waiting until the end of the trip. Ouch.
R!
 
Slightly off-topic from the OP, but since we´re talking about shooting from the hip, I figure why not.

Has anyone made an LCD protector that is essentially a small mirror (facing inward to the LCD) with a hinge at the bottom? That way you could tilt it back (it could have small straps or strings that stop it at 45 degrees) and would let you peer down from above like a waist level finder.

Hardly ideal, I know, reversed image, upside down too? and you'd have to fumble with it, but it could turn any camera with a live view lcd into a waist level finder.
 
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